Letter-box



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

T. O. OHAPPELL.

LETTER BOX.

No. 522,045. Patented June 26, 1894.

INVBNTUR:

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

T. C. GHAPPELL.

LETTER BOX.

No. 522,045. Patented June 26, 1894.

INVENT DR:

WITNESSES:

UN TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS C. OHAPPELL, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

LETTER- BOX.

SPECIFICATIOK forming part of Letters Patent No. 522,045, dated June 26, 1894.

Application filed February 7, 1893. Serial No. 461,310. (No model.)

To and whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS C. CHAPPELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of'Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Letter-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvementin mail boxes, and has for its object to provide a device which shall admit the deposit of letters, news-papers, &c., in thebox without requiring the use of more than one hand toopcrate said box and which protects the box from depredators, and the elements of the weather and which will at the same time facilitate the collection of the mail.

My improvements relate both to house letter-boxes, and to the ordinaryboxes used on the streets for collections.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- F1gure 1, is a front elevation of my device. Fig. 2, is a vertical section of the same. Fig. 3, is a detail perspective of the guard for the mouth of the box. Fig. 4, is a feature of improvement, which I employ in connection with house letter boxes. Fig. 5,is a side elevation of the same.

The letter, A, represents the box, having the overhanging top, A, to better protect the mouth from rain, snow, &c. The side and back walls are flat, but the front wall is pref erably semi-cylindrical as shown at, a, with slde-flanges, a. It is made semi-cylindrical, to better accommodate the guard, B, which is preferably spherical, and pivoted to rotate transversely in the mouth of the box. Said guard fits closely in the mouth of the box, so that no cracks are left between the front of the box and the guard when the latter is rotated. In this way the contents of the box I are never exposed. At no time is there a directcommunication between the outside to the inside of the box, and hence no one could abstract the contents of the box, by inserting some instrument through the mouth of the same as has often been done with the old style of boxes. A sector is removed from the spherical guard, the angle between the planes forming the pocket, into which the mail is first placed, when it is desired to deposit the same in the box.

The radial faces, I), and, 1), form the sides of the pocket.

The box, A, and guard, B, are made preferably of cast iron, and the guard B, is pivoted to rotate transversely in the mouth of the box as shown.

By weighting the sphericalguard as shown at, d, and in connection with the flange, c, and lip, c, hereinafter described, the normal position of the guard is so regulated, that when the flange, c, on the face, I), is flush with the lower edge of the mouth of the box, the

edge of the face, I), will register with the top edge of the said mouth of the box. Aflange,

0, upon the guard, B, prevents any forward rotation of the same, by striking against the lower edge of the mouth. This flange also serves as an operating handle to cause the guard to rotate, when depositing mail matter A lip, c, upon-the rotary guard in the box. limits its backward movement, by striking against the lug or stop, 0 on the edge of the mouth of the. box. The top of the box is preferably a section of 'a spherical shell, and of such a size that the flange, c, of the guard rotating within it,. will follow closely its concave surface. In this way the top forms a shield for the guard, to prevent anyone from tampering with the contents of the box. The spherical part of the top of the box, extends back far enough so that the radial face,b' of the guard, will not clear it till the flange, c, on the face, b, of the guard, passes the upper edge of the mouth, or the front may be flat.

For convenience in removing the mail, I make the bottom D of the box semi-cylindrical as shown, and sloping from the front to ward the back, or vice-versa, as is most convenient. A door, or, when opened, permits the mail matter to slide out, for collection.

From the foregoing, it'will be seen that the operation of my device is as follows:-A letter or package is placed upon the face, b, of the guard, and the flange, c, is shoved up, thus revolving the guard, until the face, 1), passes the edge of the spherical part of the top of the box, when the letter will slide off into the box. The guard will then swing back into normal position, by virtue of the unequal distribution of weight in the rotary guard.

. mental box.

Another feature of myimprovement relates to house letter-boxes, and is employed when the box is placed in the house door, with the front of the box outside of and the rear of the box inside of the house-door, K. It is employed to facilitate the collection of the mail matter, and consists of a supplemental box, located preferably inside of the main box, and occupies a position in the bottom of the box. It is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, of the drawings, in which A is the supple- The opening, e, in the side of the box is for the deposit of mail matter by inmates of the house. There is a door, (I, hinged to the front of the box, for enabling the carriers to collect the mail, from the supplemental box.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination of the box having a partly spherical top and a semi-cylindric front with the mouth of the box located at the intersection of said top and front; a spherical guard transversely pivoted to oscillate within the box, and having a pocket formed therein with faces, I), Z), normally registering with the lower and top-edges of the mouth of the box respectively; a flange, c, on the face, 12, and normally abutting against the month of the box and adapted when the guard is oscillated to pass within the top-edge of the mouth of the box; and a lip, c, on the spherical guard adapted to co-act with the stop, 0 on the box,

A, to limit the oscillation of the spherical guard, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the box having a spherical top and a semi-cylindric front, with the mouth of the box located at the intersectionof the said top and front; a spherical guard transversely pivoted to oscillate within the mouth of the box and having a pocket formed therein with faces, I), b; a flange, 0, formed on the face, I); a lip, c on the spherical guard and adapted when the spherical guard is oscillated, to abut against the stop, 0 on the box; and a weight, d, disposed on the spherical guard to retain the same in a normal position, wherein the faces, I), b, register respectively with the lower and top edges of the mouth of the box, substantially as described.

3. An improved mail box having in combination a part-spherical top and a semi-cylindric front; the mouth of the box located at the intersection of said top and front; a spherical guard mounted below said top to oscillate within said box and having a pocket which normally stands open coincident with the mouth, substantially as described.

4:. The combination with a mail box, of a bottom which slopes or slants across from one side to the other, and which in the transverse direction is concave or semi-eylindrical, as set forth.

5. The combination of a letter box having a top and front wall with a month at the intersection of said top and front, said mouth standing normally open; a guard pivoted to oscillate within the box and havinga surface whereon letters may be placed whenever the month is normally open, and provided with an inner and an outer edge which guards the entrance to the box and the mouth-entrance so that when one is open the other is closed, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signaturein the presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS C. CIIAPPELL.

Witnesses:

ALVAN MAGAULEY, CHAS. B. MANN, .T r. 

